


Not You

by arigato_sasusaku



Category: Naruto
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Angst, F/M, Zombie AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-18
Updated: 2013-09-18
Packaged: 2017-12-26 23:58:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/971818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arigato_sasusaku/pseuds/arigato_sasusaku
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>But they were so careful.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not You

x-x-x-x

Sakura let out a loud, shaky laugh as the door slammed behind them, cutting off the unsettling sounds of groans and laboured screeches from afar. The handle of the blade at her waist clattered against the wood but it didnt phase her. Its not as if  _they_ were attracted to sound.

"We made it," She exclaimed with a disbelieving smile, her tired eyes fluttering shut for a few precious seconds as she aimed to catch her breath. The adrenaline from the chase was still running havoc in her veins and making her palms shake against the door they were laid flat against.

But she didnt _care_  because they were  _alive_ and they had actually made it out of one of the closest scrapes to date.

The terror she had felt only moments ago had now wilted away and had now been replaced with such a rare, blissful sort of relief, Sakura had almost forgotten the feeling. It made a long, steady sigh escape her lungs and allowed some of the tension to leave her ever wound tight muscles.  

It was  _wonderful._ _  
_

For a few seconds, the girl merely laid her head back against the wood, revelling in the few seconds of complete and utter silence. 

No crashes, no moans, no distant shuffling of the dead. 

They were only ever entitled to a few scarce moments like this and Sakura intended to revel in it. 

A sharp exhale quickly reminded her of the other presence and her eyes fluttered open, searching the relatively dark, dusty room for the boy. He was sitting on the floor, panting heavily and for a moment, Sakura’s eyes glimmered in amusement.

"Ne, Sasuke-kun, are you really that out of-" However, as she approached him, her words died in her throat and the smile disappeared just as quickly. 

"Sasuke-kun…" She murmured slowly, wearily, eyes set on the way he was clutching at his shoulder. Stopping her slow steps directly in front of him, the girl found she couldnt tear her gaze from one strip of material that hung between his fingers.

When…when had he ripped his shirt? 

As another shakey breath forced its way through his teeth and the boy ducked his head ever so subtly, Sakura felt her stomach lurch. But the dread was pushed away, denied, and the voice screaming rationality was suffocated in the back of her mind. 

Dropping to her knees in front of him, between his legs, Sakura silently (shakily) reached out to the hand clamped over his shoulder.

“ _Dont.”_ He hissed as her hand brushed his arm, Sasuke making an effort jerk away from her. 

But it wasnt enough to hide it from her. For as soon as her fingertips had felt the fevered heat of his clammy skin, Sakura released a shaky, distraught breath - one she had been apparently holding.

The blissful relief and happiness she had felt only moments ago washed away with a heavy thump of her heart and something much more painful, much more suffocating replaced it.  

"Move-" Her throat constricted and it was shocking how quick tears were to blur her vision, "Your hand, Sasuke-kun." 

He didnt move his hand, instead, he rose his eyes to her - the first time he had done so since they had entered their supposed safe-haven. When her gaze reluctantly met his, Sakura had to choke back a sob at what she found lingering.

The look in his coal eyes was resigned,  _defeated._ It wasnt like Sasuke to look that way. He never backed down, he was never one to give up but when his lips tugged downwards in a pained grimace and his expression softened ever so slightly, something tore through the girl’s chest.  

"Sakura," 

In response, she shook her head quickly, refusing to listen to him, refusing to listen to what she had heard him order countless times before.

“ _Sakura-”_

"No," She all but whimpered, ignoring his weak warning and closing her eyes tightly. If she closed her eyes, then maybe she wouldnt see his expression.

"You know what you need to do-"

Silently, Sakura shook her head again, tears squeezing their way past her closed eyelids, sliding past her pursed lips and onto her chin. This couldnt happen, it  _wasnt_ happening, she refused to believe.

They had been so careful. It wasnt happening. Not to them, not to  _him._

"You’re okay, its just a scratch," She whispered, opening her eyes and focussing her attention on his shoulder. Maybe he had just caught it on some broken glass, they had to climb through so many windows after all-

"No," If she hadnt been so preoccupied, maybe she would have caught the softness to his tone, "Its not." 

It was then that he gingerly removed his hand from his shoulder and it was then that a broken gasp tore its way from Sakura’s throat. Her stomach lurched once more as watery green eyes fell on the torn apart flesh of his shoulder, clear puncture marks where teeth had sunken into his skin.

He’d been bitten.

It was enough for the sobs to break free from her lips and for the tears to slip down, heavy and sluggish, down her dirty cheeks. 

"Not you," She whispered, the feeling in her chest so maddeningly painful, that the girl curled in on herself slightly, clutching at her shirt. After watching her recoil, the boy’s eyes lowered for a moment.

Sakura had never hidden her feelings for him. When they were younger, they were more obvious, more overt but when  _all this_ happened, meaningless things were pushed aside in favour for survival. With a bitter afterthought and a subtle glance at his shoulder, Sasuke wondered how much good it had really done them now.

She loved him and he… _cared_ for her - more so than he liked to admit. 

Maybe they should have just revelled in it instead of waiting for a better time. Maybe they should have-   

A sudden bang accompanied by a low groan made the pair jolt, attention suddenly falling back to the closed door - the same door that was now waning slightly on its hinges, a shadow laying beneath it.  

Immediately, Sasuke’s gaze tore back to the girl in front of him. Even if he had been too careless,  _she_ would not die today. Regaining some of the bite to his tone, he spoke once more.

"Sakura, you dont have time-" Only to be interrupted. 

"I am  _not_ leaving you,” She sobbed, gaze flickering back to him with a crease between her frowns and an almost angry frown to her lips. 

He had been stupid. 

He promised Naruto he’d look after her. How the hell was he supposed to do that now?  

Pushing back a wince, Sasuke held her gaze, noting how her lips quivered and the tears made her eyes puffy.

_Yes,_ they definitely should have made the most of whatever it was they had - instead of dancing around it with lingering touches and stolen glances. 

Slowly, Sasuke reached forward until his hand was sliding to the back of her neck, fingers tangling in the short pink tresses at her nape. She leaned in immediately, the girl trying to erase the sight of how his tired coal orbs wandered her face as she did so. 

He only stopped tugging when their foreheads were pressed together and once again, Sakura tried to ignore how hot his skin was against hers. Instead, she closed her eyes and imagined they were elsewhere - a field, a warm home, the park. 

Not a dusty, abandoned wreck of a tea house. 

She imagined Sasuke smiling, maybe coming home from work, pulling her close. 

They would have been happy. She would have ensured it. Every day would have been happy,  _fun._

The sluggish thumps against the door was distracting but Sakura could ignore it, if she could just concentrate on the hand that was now tangling with hers, she could ignore the body outside the door. 

Letting out a short, shaky breath, her fingers clumsily - _desperately-_ sought to clutch at his, anchoring herself to him. The blood on his hands was forgotten, even as it made her fingers sickeningly slippery against his. Though Sakura took some comfort in the way he held her just as tightly despite it. 

Sasuke wasnt oblivious to the way the door shook slightly behind them, he didnt doubt that there was more than one out there. They moved in groups after all. She couldnt stay here. 

He had already been too selfish, keeping her. Closing his eyes a little tighter, the boy let out a silent shuddered sigh - his chest burning as he did so. Slowly, he pulled their hands towards him, feeling no resistance from her.  _Good._

However, when their palms rested over the cool metal of the gun at his waist, Sasuke enclosed his hand over hers a little tighter, refusing to let her pull away - which she vehemently tried to. 

"You need to. You know that." He said, dark eyes opening with a lot more effort than the boy would have liked. As he did so, Sasuke was met with wide, teary peridot eyes staring back at him - the silent plea obvious.   

Biting back a sob, Sakura’s bottom lip quivered as she felt him move their hands once more, something cool and heavy eventually replacing the warmth of his palm. She didnt dare look down. 

Though, she already knew what would be resting in her hand. 

Through the blur of her tears, Sakura could  _see_ the effect it was already having on him. His skin was clammy and pale, and the eyes she loved so dearly were tired and… _dull._ It was happening already. 

Soon, he’d be one of them and she didnt know if she could take seeing  _Sasuke-kun_  like that.

Her fingers tightened around the metal grip. 

"Aishiteru," She whispered as his hand dropped from her neck.

_I know._

"I’m sorry," He murmured back, gaze flickering over her face once more before pulling her hand upwards, the barrel resting against his temple. Bitterly, Sasuke thought he probably could have loved her too. 

Her strength faltered then, fingers falling limp as the gravity of the situation fell on her shoulders (and heart). But Sasuke tightened his hand around her own, holding her in place.

"I dont want to end up like Itachi, Sakura," He said quietly, jaw clenching at the memory and clutch tightening.

At that, Sakura failed to hold back a sob and it tore from her throat ugly and uninhibited, making her brows scrunch and her chest feel so tight she could barely breathe. 

When she saw the pain lingering in his gaze, she knew it wasnt from the rotting flesh at his shoulder and it made her heart sting. Sasuke’s family had meant everything to him and that day, when they had found them-

Sakura shook her head, swallowing thickly.

"Okay," She all but whimpered, pursing her lips and meeting his gaze once more, ignoring the tears that slipped down her cheeks with ease. Her finger slid to the trigger and she bought the back of her hand up to her lips to muffle another sob. 

"Sakura," He murmured, eyes closing with defeat at what was to come, "Arigatou." 

Sakura could only cry as she pulled the trigger. 

x-x-x-x


End file.
